Nearly one in five businesses have no PR support – new IoD and CIPR report finds
A new report has found nearly one-in-five businesses have no public relations support, either internally or externally.
At a time when the UK faces the challenges associated with an economic downturn, the report finds many businesses are failing to be proactive in managing their reputation while consumers and stakeholders consider the activity of companies with which they associate.
The joint report from the Institute of Directors (IoD) and the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) - ‘The Role of Public Relations in Strategic Planning and Crisis Preparedness’ - features a series of essays and top tips on how businesses can use public relations to support their work. Chapters explore the role of PR in strategic planning, stakeholder mapping and engagement, internal communications, and more.
Edited by former CIPR President and IoD Ambassador, Sarah Waddington, the report surveyed 100 UK business leaders and found that three-quarters of businesses that employ public relations professionals have them on their board. One-third of businesses, however, say they have never used public relations to navigate a crisis.
This important report underlines the power of public relations and provides lots of helpful guidance on how it can help build organisational resilience - crucial at this time of economic and political turbulence.
Hopefully it will help directors feel more confident in procuring a PR team or specialist and get much more from their investment.
About the Chartered Institute of Public Relations
Founded in 1948, the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) is the world's only Royal Chartered professional body for public relations practitioners with over 10,000 members.
The CIPR advances professionalism in public relations by making its members accountable to their employers and the public through a code of conduct and searchable public register, setting standards through training, qualifications, awards and the production of best practice and skills guidance, facilitating Continuing Professional Development (CPD), and awarding Chartered Public Relations Practitioner status (Chart.PR).
About the Institute of Directors
The Institute of Directors is a non-party political organisation, founded in 1903, with approximately 20,000 members. Membership includes directors from right across the business spectrum – from media to manufacturing, professional services to the public and voluntary sectors. Members include CEOs of large corporations as well as entrepreneurial directors of start-up companies.
The IoD was granted a Royal Charter in 1906, instructing it to "represent the interests of members and of the business community to government and in the public arena, and to encourage and foster a climate favourable to entrepreneurial activity and wealth creation."
The Charter also tasks the Institute with promoting "for the public benefit high levels of skill, knowledge, professional competence and integrity on the part of directors", which the IoD seeks to achieve through its training courses and publications on corporate governance.